AN

EXPOSITION,

WITH

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS, OF THE BOOK OF

NEHEMIAH.

THIS book continues the history of the children of the captivity; the poor Jews that were lately returned out of Babylon to their own land. At this time, not only the Persian monarchy flourished in great pomp and power, but Greece and Rome began to be very great, and make a figure. Of the affairs of those high and mighty states, we have authentic accounts extant; but the sacred and inspired history takes cognizance only of the state of the Jews, and makes no mention of other nations, but as the Israel of God had dealings with them; for the Lord's portion is his people, they are his peculiar treasure, and, in comparison with them, the rest of the world is but as lumber. In my esteem, Ezra the scribe, and Nehemiah the Tirshatha, though neither of them ever wore a crown, commanded an army, conquered any country, or were famed for philosophy or oratory, yet both of them, being pious praying men, and very serviceable in their day to the church of God and the interests of religion, were really greater men, and more honourable, not only than any of the Roman consuls or dictators, but than Xenophon, or Demosthenes, or Plato himself, who lived at the same time, the bright ornaments of Greece. Nehemiah's agency for the advancing of the settlement of Israel we have a full account of in this book of his own commentaries or memoirs, wherein he records not only the works of his hands, but the workings of his heart, in the management of public affairs; inserting in the story many devout reflections and ejaculations, which discover in his mind a very deep tincture of serious piety, and are peculiar to his writing. Twelve years he was governor of Judea, under Artaxerxes king of Persia, from his twentieth year, (ch. 1. 1,) to his thirty-second year, ch. 13. 6. Dr. Lightfoot supposes this to be the Artaxerxes from whom Ezra had his commission. This book relates,

I. Nehemiah's concern for Jerusalem, and the commission he had obtained from the king to go thither, ch. 1. 2.

II. His building of the wall of Jerusalem, notwithstanding the opposition he met with, ch. 3. 4.

III. His redressing the grievances of the people, ch. 5.

IV. His finishing the wall, ch. 6.

V. The account he took of the people, ch. 7.

VI. The religious solemnities of reading the law, fasting and praying, and renewing their covenants, which he called the people to, ch. 8.-10.

VII. The care he took for the replenishing of the holy city, and the settling of the holy tribe, ch. 11. 12.

VIII. His zeal in reforming divers abuses, ch. 13. Some call this the second book of Ezra, not because he was the penman of it, but because it is a continuation of the history of the foregoing book, with which it is connected, v. 1. This was the last historical book that was written, as Malachi the last prophetical book, of the Old Testament.

B. C. 446.

CHAPTER I.

Here we first meet with Nehemiah at the Persian court, where we find him,

Nehemiah's Distress.

2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concern

1. Inquisitive concerning the state of the Jews and Jerusalem, v. 1, 2. 11. In- ing the Jews that had escaped, which were left of

formed of their deplorable state, v. 3. III. Fasting and praying, thereupon, (v. 4,) with a particular account of his prayer, v.5-11. Such is the rise of this great man, by piety, not by policy.

NOTES TO CHAPTER I.

V. 1-4. What tribe Nehemiah was of does no where appear; but if it be true, (which we are told by the author of the Maccabees, book 2, ch. 1. 18,) that he offered sacrifice, we must conclude him to be a priest. We are here told that he was in Shushan, the palace or royal city of the king of Persia, where the court was ordinarily kept, (v. 1,) that he was the king's cupbearer. Kings and great men probably looked upon it as a piece of state to be attended by those of other nations. By this place at court, 1. He would be the better qualified for the service of his country in that post for which God had designed him; as Moses was the fitter to govern for being bred up in Pharaoh's court, and David in Saul's. 2. He would have the fairer opportunity of serving his country by his interest in the king and those about him. Observe, He is not forward to tell us what great preferment he had at court; it is not till the end of the chapter, that he tells us he was the king's cupbearer, (a place of great trust,

the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province, are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire.

c 2 Kings 25. 10. Is. 64. 10, 11.

as well as of honour and profit,) when he could not avoid the
mentioning of it, because of the following story; but, at first,
he only says, I was in Shushan the palace; whence we may
learn to be humble and modest, and slow to speak of our own
advancements. But in the providences of God concerning him,
we may observe to our comfort, (1.) That when God has work
to do, he will never want instruments to do it with. (2.) That
those whom God designs to employ in his service, he will find
out proper ways both to fit for it, and to call to it. (3.) That
God has his remnant in all places; we read of Obadiah in the
house of Ahab, saints in Cæsar's household, and a devout Ne-
hemiah in Shushan the palace. (4.) That God can make the
courts of princes sometimes nurseries, and sometimes sanctua-
ries, to the friends and patrons of the church's cause.
Now here we have,

I. Nehemiah's tender and compassionate inquiry concerning the state of the Jews in their own land, v. 2. It happened that

III. The great affliction this gave to Nehemiah, and the deep concern it put him into, v. 4. 1. He wept and mourned. It was not only just when he heard the news, that he fell into a passion of weeping, but his sorrow continued certain days. Note, The desolations and distresses of the church ought to be the matter of our grief, how much soever we live at ease. 2. He fasted and prayed; not in public, he had no opportunity of doing that, but before the God of heaven, who sees in secret, and will reward openly. By his fasting and praying, (1.) He consecrated his sorrows, and directed his tears aright; sor-be commanded. If God were not more mindful of his promises, rowed after a godly sort, with an eye to God, because his name was reproached in the contempt cast on his people, whose cause therefore he thus commits to him. (2.) He eased his sorrows, and unburdened his spirit, by pouring out his complaint before God, and leaving it with him. (3.) He took the right method of fetching in relief for his people, and direction for himself in what way to serve them. Let those who are forming any good designs for the service of the public, take God along with them from the first conception of them, and utter all their projects before him; that is the way to prosper in them.

CHAPTER II.

How Nehemiah wrestled with God, and prevailed, we read in the foregoing chapter; now here we are told, how, like Jacob he prevailed with men also, and so found that his prayers were heard and answered. 1. He prevailed with the king to send him to Jerusalem with a commission to build a wall about it, and grant him what was necessary for it, v. 1-8. 11. He prevailed against the enemies that would have obstructed him in his journey, (v. 9-11,) and laughed him out of his undertaking, v. 19, 20. III. He prevailed upon his own people to join with him in this good work, viewing the desolations of the wall, (v. 12-16,) and then

gaining them to lend every one a hand toward the rebuilding of them, v. 17, 18.

Thus did God own him in the work to which he called him.

a

AND it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

a Ezra 7. 1. be. 1. 11. e Prov. 15. 13. d 1 Kings 1. 31. Dan. 2. 4. e c. 1. 3. name, but really have a reverence for thy name; they now worship thee, and thee only, according to thy will, and have an awe of all the discoveries thou art pleased to make of thyself; this they have a desire to do;" which denotes, (1.) Their good will to it; "It is their constant care and endeavour to be found in the way of their duty, and they aim at it, though in many instances they come short." (2.) Their complacency in it; แ They take pleasure to fear thy name,' so it may be read; แ They not only do their duty, but do it with delight." Those shall graciously be accepted of God, that truly desire to fear his name; for those desires are his own work.

3. He pleads the great things God had formerly done for them, (v. 10,) "Whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, in the days of old; thy power is still the same, wilt thou not therefore still redeem them, and perfect their redemption? Let not them be overpowered by the enemy, that have a God of infinite power on their side."

Lastly, He concludes with a particular petition, that God would prosper him in his undertaking, and give him favour with the king: This man, he calls him, for the greatest of men are but men before God; they must know themselves to be so, (Ps. 9. 20,) and others must know them to be so; Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man? Mercy in the sight of this man, is what he prays for, meaning not the king's mercy, but mercy from God, in his address to the king. Favour with men is then comfortable, when we can see it springing from the mercy of God.

NOTES TO CHAPTER II.

3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. 6 And the king said unto me, (the queen' also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a 'time.

7 Moreover, I said unto the king, If it please

f 2 Chr. 21. 20. 28. 27. 32. 33. g Prov. 3. 6. Phil. 4. 6. * wife. A c. 5. 14. 13. 6. ought, from a principle of Christian sympathy, to concern ourselves in the sorrows and sadnesses of others, even of our inferiors, and not say, What is it to us? Let not masters despise their servants' griefs, but desire to make them easy. The great God is not pleased with the dejections and disquietments of his people, but would have them both serve him with gladness, and eat their bread with joy. 2. It is not strange if those that are sick, have sad countenances, because of what is felt, and what is feared; sickness will make those grave that were most airy and gay: yet a good man, even in sickness, may be of good cheer, if he knows that his sins are forgiven. 3. Freedom from sickness is so great a mercy, that while we have that, we ought not to be inordinately dejected under any outward burden, yet sorrow for our own sins, the sins of others, and the calamities of God's church, may well sadden the countenance without sickness.

III. The account which Nehemiah gave the king of the cause of his sadness, which he gives with meekness and fear. 1. With fear; he owns that now, (though it appears by the fol lowing story that he was a man of courage,) he was sore afraid, perhaps of the king's wrath, (for those eastern monarchs assumed an absolute power of life and death, Dan. 2. 12, 13.— 5. 19,) or of misplacing a word, and losing his request by the mismanagement of it: though he was a wise man, he was jealous of himself, lest he should say any thing imprudently; it becomes us to be so. A good assurance is indeed a good accomplishment, yet an humble self-diffidence is no man's dispraise. 2. With meekness: without reflection upon any man, and with all the respect, deference, and good will imaginable to the king V. 1-8. When Nehemiah had prayed for the relief of his his master, he says, "Let the king live for ever; he is wise and countrymen, and perhaps in David's words, (Ps. 51. 18,) Build good, and the fittest man in the world to rule." He modestly thou the walls of Jerusalem, he did not sit still, and say, "Let asked, "Why should not my countenance be sad as it is, when, God now do his own work, for I have no more to do;" but set (though I myself am well, and at ease,) the city," (the king himself to forecast what he could do towards it. Our prayers knew what city he meant,)" the place of my fathers' sepulchres, must be seconded with our serious endeavours, else we mock lieth waste?" Many are melancholy and sad, but can give no God. Near four months passed from Chisleu to Nisan, (from good reason for it, cannot tell why or wherefore; such should November to March,) before Nehemiah made his application to chide themselves for, and chide themselves out of, their unjust the king for leave to go to Jerusalem; either because the winter and unreasonable griefs and fears: but Nehemiah could give was not a proper time for such a journey, and he would not make so good a reason for his sadness, as to appeal to the king himthe motion till he could pursue it, or because it was so long be- self concerning it. Observe, (1.) He calls Jerusalem the place fore his month of waiting came, and there was no coming into of his fathers' sepulchres, the place where his ancestors were buthe king's presence uncalled, Esth. 4. 11. Now that he attend-ried: it is good for us to think often of our fathers' sepulchres; ed the king's table, he hoped to have his ear: we are not thus we are apt to dwell in our thoughts upon their honours and titles, limited to certain moments in our addresses to the King of kings, their houses and estates, but let us think also of their sepulchres, but have liberty of access to him at all times; to the throne of and consider that they who have gone before us in the world, grace we never come unseasonably. Now here is, have also gone before us out of the world, and their monuments are mementoes to us; there is a great respect owing to the memory of our fathers, that that be not injured. All nations, even those that have had no expectation of the resurrection of the dead, have looked upon the sepulchres of their ancestors as in some degree sacred, and not to be violated. (2.) He justifies himself in his grief: "I do well to be sad. Why should I not be so?" There is a time even for pious and prosperous men to be sad, and to show it. The best men must not think to antedate heaven by banishing all sorrowful thoughts; it is a vale of tears we pass through, and we must submit to the temper of the climate. (3.) He assigns the ruins of Jerusalem as the true cause of his grief. Note, All the grievances of the church, but especially its desolations, are, and ought to be, matter of grief and sadness to all good people, to all that have a concern for God's honour, and that are living members of Christ's mystical body, and are of a public spirit; they favour even Zion's dust, Ps. 102, 14.

I. The occasion which he gave the king to inquire into his cares and griefs, by appearing sad in his presence. Those that speak to such great men, niust not fall abruptly upon their business, but fetch a compass. Nehemiah would try whether he was in a good humour before he ventured to tell him his errand, and this method he took to try him. He took up the wine and gave it to the king when he called for it, expecting that then he would look him in the face. He had not used to be sad in the king's presence, but conformed to the rules of the court, (as courtiers must do,) which would admit no sorrows, Esth. 4. 2. Though he was a stranger, a captive, he was easy and pleasant. Good men should do what they can by their cheerfulness to convince the world of the pleasantness of religious ways, and to roll away the reproach cast upon them as melancholy; but there is a time for all things, Ec. 3. 4. Nehemiah now saw cause both to be sad, and to appear so. The miseries of Jerusalem gave him cause to be sad, and his showing it will give occasion to the king to inquire into the cause: he did not dissemble sadness, for he was really in grief for the afflictions of Joseph, and was not like the hypocrites who disfigure their faces; yet he could have concealed his grief if it had been necessary, (the heart knows its own bitterness, and in the midst of laughter is often sad,) but it would now serve his purpose to discover his sadness. Though he had wine before him, and, probably, according to the office of the cupbearer, did himself drink of it before he gave it the king, yet it would not make his heart glad, while God's Israel was in distress.

II. The kind notice which the king took of his sadness, and the inquiry he made into the cause of it; (v. 2,) Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? Note, 1. We

IV. The encouragement which the king gave him to tell his mind, and the application he, thereupon, made in his heart to God, v. 4. The king had an affection for him, and was not pleased to see him melancholy; it is also probable that he had a kindness for the Jews' religion; he had discovered it before in the commission he gave to Ezra, who was a churchman, and now again in the power he put Nehemiah into, who was a statesman: wanting therefore only to know how he might be serviceable to Jerusalem, he asks this its anxious friend, “For what dost thou make request? Something thou wouldest have; what is it?" He was afraid to speak, (v. 2,) but this gave him boldness: much more may the invitation Christ has given us to prav, and the promise that we shall speed, enable us to come boldly to the throne of grace. Nehemiah immediately prayed

the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over, till I come into Judah;

8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

9 Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. (Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.)

10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved 'them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God "had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.

i c. 3. 7. k Ezra 5. 5. ver. 18.

Ezra 8. 32.

Ps. 112. 10. Ez. 25. 6-8. "Ps. 51. 18. 122. 6. 0 o 2 Chr. 26. 9. pc. 1.3. g c. 3. 15. to the God of heaven, that he would give him wisdom to ask properly, and incline the king's heart to grant him his request. They that would find favour with kings, must secure the favour of the King of kings. He prayed to the God of heaven, as infinitely above even this mighty monarch. It was not a solemn prayer, (he had not opportunity for that,) but a secret sudden ejaculation; he lifted up his heart to that God who understands the language of the heart, Lord, give me a mouth and wisdom; Lord, give me favour in the sight of this man. Note, It is good to be much in pious ejaculations, especially upon particular occasions: wherever we are, we have a way open heavenward; this will hinder no business, but further it rather, therefore let no business hinder this, but give rise to it rather. Nehemiah had prayed very solemnly with reference to this very occasion, (ch. I. I;) yet when it comes to the push, he prays again. Ejaculations and solemn prayers must not justle out one another, but each have its place.

V. His humble petition to the king; when he had this encouragement, he presents it very modestly, and with submission to the king's wisdom, v. 5. But he is very particular; he asks for a commission to go as governor to Judah, to build the wall of Jerusalem, and to stay there for a certain time, so many months, we may suppose; and then either he had his commission renewed, or he went back, and was sent again, so that he presided there twelve years at least, ch. 5. 14. He also asked for a convoy, (v. 7,) and an order upon the governors, not only to permit and suffer him to pass through their respective provinces, but to supply him with what he had occasion for; with another order upon the keeper of the forest of Lebanon to give him timber for the work that he designed.

13 And I went out by night, by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon-well, and to the dung-port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.

14 Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.

15 Then went I up in the night by the brook," and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.

16 And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

18 Then I told them of the hand "of my God, which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.

T2 Sam. 15. 23. Jer. 31. 38-40. a Lam. 2. 2, 8, 9. tel. 3. Ps. 44. 13. 79. 4, 12. Jer. 24. 9. Ez. 5. 14, 15. 22. 4. u ver. 8. 2 Sam. 2. 7. Ezra 6. 22.

known; the king sent norsemen to attend him, but the Jews sent none to meet him, he had no beast with him, but that which he himself rode on, v. 12. Wise men, and those who are worthy of double honour, yet covet not to come with observation, to make a show, or make a noise, no not when they come with the greatest blessings. They that shortly are to have the dominion in the morning, the world now knows not, but they lie hid, 1 John 3. 1.

(2.) That though they took litttle notice of him, he took great notice of them and their state. He rose in the night, and viewed the ruins of the walls, probably, by moonlight, (v. 13,) that he might see what was to be done, and in what method they must go about it, whether the old foundation would serve, and what there was of the old materials that would be of use. Note, [1,] Good work is then like to be well done, when it is first well considered. [2.] It is the wisdom of those who are engaged eyes, and not to proceed altogether upon the reports and reprein public business, as much as may be, to see with their own sentations of others, and yet, to do this without noise, and, if possible, unobserved. [3.] They that would build up the church's walls, must first take notice of the ruins of those walls. They that would know how to amend, must inquire what is amiss; what needs reformation, and what may serve as it is. (3.) That when he discovered his design to the rulers and people, they cheerfully concurred with him in it. He did not tell them, at first, what he came about, (v. 16,) because he would not seem to do it for ostentation, and that if he found it impracticable, he might retreat the more honourably: upright humble men will not sound a trumpet before their alms, or any other of their good offices. But when he had viewed and considered the thing, and, probably, felt the pulse of the rulers and people, he told them what God had put into his heart, (v. 12,) even to build up the wall of Jerusalem, v. 17. Observe, [1.] How fairly he proposed it to them; "Ye see the distress we are in, how we lie exposed to the enemies that are round about us, how justly they reproach us, as foolish and despicable, how easily they may make a prey of us whenever they have a mind. Come, therefore, and let us build up the wall." He does not undertake to do it without them; (it could not be the work of one man;) nor does he charge or command imperiously, though he had the king's commission, but, in a friendly brotherly way, exhorts and excites them to join with him in this work. To encourage them hereto, he speaks of the design; First, As that which owed its original to the special grace of God. He takes not the praise of it to himself, as a good thought of his own, but acknowledges that God put it into his heart, and therefore they all ought to countenance it, (whatever is of God must be promoted,) and might hope to prosper in it, for what God puts men upon, he will own them in. Secondly, As that which owed its progress hitherto to the special providence of God. He produced the king's commission, told them how readily it was granted, and how forward the king good upon him. It would encourage both him and them to prowas to favour his design, in which he saw the hand of his God ceed in an undertaking which God had so remarkably smiled upon. Thus he proposed it to them; and, [2.] They presently came to a resolution, one and all, to concur with him; Let us rise up and build. They are ashamed that they have sat still so long without so much as attempting this needful work, and now resolve to rise up out of their slothfulness, to bestir themII. How he was received by the country he was sent to. selves, and to stir up one another. "Let us rise up," that is," Let 1. By the Jews and their friends at Jerusalem; we are told, us do it with vigour, and diligence, and resolution, as those that (1.) That while he concealed his errand, they took little are determined to go through with it." So they strengthened their notice of him; he was at Jerusalem three days, (v. 11,) and it hands, their own and one another's, for this good work. Note, does not appear that any of the great men of the city waited on First, Many a good work would find hands enough to be laid to him to congratulate him on his arrival, but he remained un-it, if there were but one good head to lead in it. They all saw the

VI. The king's great favour to him, in asking him when he would return, v. 6. He intimated that he would not lose him, nor could be long without him; yet that, in order to gratify him, and do a real office of kindness to his people, he would spare him a while, and let him have what clauses he pleased, inserted in his commission, v. 8. Here was an immediate answer to his prayer, for the seed of Jacob never sought the God of Jacob in vain. In the account he gives of the success of his petition, he takes notice, 1. Of the presence of the queen; she sat by, (v. 6,) which (they say) was not usual in the Persian court, Esth. 1. 11. Whether the queen was his adversary, that would have hindered him, and he observes it, to the praise of God's powerful providence, that though she was by, yet he succeeded, or whether she was his true friend, and it is observed to the praise of God's kind providence, that she was present to help forward his request, is not certain. 2. Of the power and grace of God; he gained his point, not according to his merit, his interest in the king, or his good management, but according to the good hand of his God upon him. Gracious souls take notice of God's hand, his good hand, in all events which turn in favour of them; This is the Lord's doing, and therefore doubly acceptable. V. 9-20. We are told,

I. How Nehemiah was dismissed by the court he was sent from the king appointed captains of the army and horsemen to go with him, (v. 9,) both for his guard, and to show that he was a man whom the king did delight to honour, that all the king's servants might respect him accordingly. Whom the King of kings sends, he thus protects, he thus dignifies with an host of angels to attend them.

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and To- | repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiab, the son biah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and Zadok the son of Baana. despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?